Christmas Fayres and Art for Sale

When you see artists exhibiting their wares at Christmas Fayres or in the high street hoping to catch customers in the festive season spare a thought not just for the hard work and creativity that goes into their craft. Some time will have been spent agonising over pricing before an attempt at selling either original work or prints. Framing is a conundrum, customers like to buy items ready to hang but how do you choose a frame that works with the image and works for the customers taste.

Prints and Cards

With prints and cards there is plenty to frustrate the eager artist. Enduring a fickle printer is a test of patience when it starts spitting out blank paper or prints which are off centre, the wrong size or the wrong colours and then horrors of horrors sometimes it will not work at all.

Mounts for Prints

Mounting the image is an issue of its own, lining up the print and taping the print, mount and backing board together in a professional looking way before putting into a celophane bag. By the end of it all the place is littered with off cuts, cut fingers, bits of tape everywhere, torn up prints and hopefully the printer has not been despatched out of the window.

You may have guessed that I have just completed a printing session ready for a Christmas Fayre at Horseworld Rescue Centre, Bristol, UK next weekend. Leaflets, notices and business cards are ready printed too. Just need to pack a blanket, hot water bottle and a flask.

Oh and in case you were wondering the printer is still where it should be, in the studio… 🙂

Interesting Facts about Reindeer

Reindeer are thought to be the only mammals that can see ultraviolet light. This helps them see things in bright snowy conditions as the ultraviolet light creates sharp contrast with objects other than snow. Their noses are also specialised and designed for increased internal surface area which allows cold dry air to moisten as they breath in.

There are very few reindeer which are truly wild, some roaming animals are escaped domestic stock, and even the reindeer on the Tundra (just below the North Pole) are owned by Saami herdsmen.

Soon I shall start thinking about christmas shopping, but already my ACEOs have turned to the Christmas theme and even have a little gold paint on some of them. Here is Christmas Mouse who has happened upon the fairy at the top of the tree…..